About Us

Thomas Panton - Managing Director

I started Thomas Panton Wine Merchants (Ltd) in 1980. Having run a wine company called Cathcart Wine in London for several years. An opportunity came up to move out of London to start up a wine merchant and I took it.Coming from an entrepreneurial background, I was intending to buy and manage a farm, however my career took an unexpected turn and ended up with an agency for Marcos cars. This started my long time interest in Italy. I then started up a fashion business exporting fashion accessories from Florence to London. I then met Peter Simon and was involved in the early days of Monsoon, which was run from my house in Kensington. After a couple of years I was asked by his brother to invest some money in a wine company and this led to me starting in the wine trade. I have been in Tetbury since 1980 and have seen many changes in wine buying over the years and many more countries making wines.My interests include skiing , travelling and eating and drinking well.

Steve Maynard - SalesAfter school I joined the MET Police for a short while, then travelled and worked on farms in Germany and the west of England. I then spent a year at the Royal Agricultural College studying farming. I also worked in London in retail at Harrods and others. I then fell into the wine trade by mistake and stayed.

I started with a small company called Cotswold Wine Company and gained experience in the whole business with the late Leslie Joseph. My passion, I found was in sales. I then worked for a bigger company also in the Cotswolds called Woodcocks (later called Jeroboams) gaining yet more experience. I then became a partner in a company called Rose Tree Wines in Cheltenham. The Rose Tree was badly affected by the recession of the early 1990’s and I was approached by Tom (Panton) to join forces. Many years later I still have a passion for selling and am the head of sales.

Jon Godfrey - Deliveries and All-rounderJon joined us in October 2016 to help with the Christmas rush, but is now full time and in charge of deliveries, the warehouse and the website.

Karynne Townsend - Saturdays and Purchase AccountsKarynne works some Saturdays in the shop and helps out at our big events. Normally she makes sure the accounts are being done to her exacting standards.